WATCH: Students celebrate record-breaking GCSEs

Thursday 22 August 2019

Hundreds of island students have at last received their GCSE results – with many achieving grades of 7 or above.

JCG was the first to declare its results, which marked the highest percentage of students ever achieving straight 7s (A) or above.

65% of all grades were 9, 8 or 7 (A* or A). In addition, 65% of all students achieved five or more 9-7 grades (A*/A) with a third of students gaining 10 or more 9 to 7 grades (A*/A).

Pictured: JCG students collecting their results this morning.

14% of all grades were at the very highest level - a grade 9, which is above the old A* grade and is reflective of the top 3% of attainment across the country - with over 50% of students gaining at least one grade 9. 

“Our students have worked so hard in partnership with their teachers and have demonstrated such ambition and determination to achieve these excellent grades,” Principal Carl Howarth stated. “While people may be interested in the headline figures, we are so proud of all our students and the progress they have made.”

The 94 boys at Victoria College also broke records. A third (31%) of their 961 exams received grades 8 to 9, 5% more than last year and nearly 37% of the students received at least one Grade 9.

Video: The students at Vic College broke records.

51% of all exams received 7 to 9 grades - the highest percentage achieved by the students since the new grading system was introduced. The percentage of grade 9s also increased to 12%.

All students passed maths with a Grade 4 or above and the results for further maths were also strong with one student achieving a rare ‘A hat’, which puts him in the top level of maths students in the country.

Headmaster Alun Watkins described the results as “outstanding.” “As a year group these boys have really excelled, shown huge amounts of resilience and determination during the final few months of their studies and maintained their good humour,” he added. “We have really enjoyed having them as part of our school.”

Pictured: Beaulieu students "excelled" this year the Head of school said. 

Following “excellent” A Level results last week, Beaulieu School said it was impressed by its students’ strong GCSE results, with a quarter of all examinations taken achieving a 9-7 Grade (A* to A).                                     

Andrea Firby, Head of School at Beaulieu, said: “Today’s GCSE results follow the success we enjoyed last week with our A Levels and we are delighted to see such a high percentage of top grades achieved across a range of subjects.

“We are delighted for the pupils who have excelled this year and we are extremely proud of all our students’ achievements following their hard work and determination.”

Overall more pupils than ever before achieved the higher grades of 7-9 and A/A* across Jersey this year. More than a quarter of grades achieved by Jersey pupils were at this level and the overall pass rate has remained steady.

Pictured: The overall pass rate this year was 97.9%.

This year, 985 Year 11 pupils took a total of 7,604 GCSE or IGCSE examinations, with a pass rate of 97.9%.

Seán O’Regan, the Group Director of Education for the Department for Children, Young People, Education and Skills, congratulated the students "for working hard to achieve this milestone, which marks the end of compulsory education but also the start of an exciting new chapter, whether they go on to further education or employment."

"These results are a positive reflection of the hard work and abilities of pupils in Jersey schools," he said. "As we strive to put children first we will continue to support our schools and teachers in providing the best possible educational outcomes for all young people in Jersey.”

Students taking Level 2 vocational qualifications - equivalent to GCSE grades 4-9 - also did well. At Highlands College the 138 students taking the Jersey Progression Qualification in one year have achieved a 92% pass rate with 52% of students achieving Distinction* - equivalent to 4 GCSEs at grade A* - or Distinction - equivalent to 4 GCSEs at grade A - for their full Diploma.